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Positive reinforcement ________ the likelihood of a behavior's being repeated. Negative reinforcement ________ the likelihood of a behavior's being repeated.

a. increases; increases
b. decreases; increases
c. decreases; decreases
d. increases; decreases

1 Answer

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Final answer:

In operant conditioning, positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior by adding a positive stimulus, while negative reinforcement increases the likelihood by removing a negative stimulus. Both forms of reinforcement aim to increase the frequency of the desired behavior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concepts of positive and negative reinforcement in operant conditioning, a fundamental theory in behavioral psychology. Positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior by adding a desirable stimulus. For instance, giving a child a sticker for doing homework encourages them to repeat the behavior. On the other hand, negative reinforcement also increases the likelihood of a behavior, but it does so by removing an unpleasant stimulus when the desired behavior is performed. For example, a car's annoying beep, which stops when you buckle your seatbelt, encourages the behavior of fastening the seatbelt. Both positive and negative reinforcements are employed to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is: Positive reinforcement increases; Negative reinforcement increases.

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